I’ve made numerous versions of spaghetti and meatballs over the years, but from the first time I tried Ina Garten’s recipe for this dish from Barefoot Contessa Family Style I knew my search had ended.
She was right on in naming it Real Meatballs and Spaghetti because the meatballs definitely deserve top billing. They are not only flavorful, but exceptionally tender and moist. She credits this to the addition of warm water added to the mix.
I also love the fact that she has made this into a one pan dish by preparing the sauce in the same saute pan that was used to brown the meatballs. By removing the oil, but leaving all the crusty brown bits in the pan as the foundation for the sauce you are adding layers of deep flavor to the end result.
As I do so often I increased the basic recipe so I could freeze enough meatballs in sauce for another meal, either to be used with pasta or served as meatball sandwiches. I use all ground beef (or chuck) rather than a mix of pork, veal and beef as she suggests. I also use Pecorino Romano in addition to or instead of the Parmesan because I love the sharpness and saltiness that it imparts.
Regardless of how you tweak this recipe according to your personal tastes, the next time you’re hungry for spaghetti and meatballs, make Real Meatballs and Spaghetti!
Real Meatballs and Spaghetti (adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style)
For The Meatballs
½ pound ground veal
½ pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef (or all ground beef)
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
¼ cup seasoned dry bread crumbs (I use Panko seasoned)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano, or combination)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
¾ cup warm water
Vegetable or Canola oil
Olive Oil
For the Sauce
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 and ½ teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 and ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
1 and ½ pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and ¾ cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork.
Using your hands,lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14-16 meatballs.
Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of ¼ inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. this should take about 10 minutes for each batch Don’t crowd the meatballs.
Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.
For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated cheese.
A Few Helpful Tips
When you cook spaghetti,don’t use oil in the water; the sauce will stick better.
When the spaghetti is cooked, drain in a colander. If you don’t use it right away, run hot water over it and it will separate.
Ina uses Pepperidge Farm sandwich bread for fresh bread crumbs.